Short sleep duration, the link between sleep and heart health

Heavy snoring can sound funny to your sleep partner, but the condition is no joke. 

To understand ‘How snoring is related to heart disease?’ or ‘How does snoring affect your heart?’ one must recall the essentials of human physiology. Nose and mouth are the doors to oxygen. We breathe in air which flows to the lungs; oxygen is absorbed into the blood and transmitted all over the body.

Snoring appears at the start of a respiratory cycle, in the upper airways, causing damage to the rest of the phases. Why is snoring bad for your heart? Because when the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen, it makes your vessels more narrow to increase blood flow and get more oxygen. As a result, the pressure on vessels grows too. Such pressure fluctuations can cause chronic hypertension or even heart attack.

What’s interesting, people might not even be aware that they snore! It usually affects people around them as they are the ones to complain about sleeping noises. Moreover, even though someone might not be aware of the problem, it still impairs the quality of his or her sleep.

Heart Failure Causes Sleep Problems

Complications of heart failure can affect your sleep. For example:

50. Chest pain and discomfort make it hard to relax and fall or stay asleep.
50. Lying in bed can make you feel short of breath.
50. You may have to get up during the night to pee.

During the day, you're standing and sitting, so extra fluid would normally settle in your legs and feet. But lie down, and it's going to move up into your chest. This can close in your lungs and airways, making it harder to breathe.

Are there ways to alleviate snoring?

All in all – if you snore, you really should go and see a medical doctor. However, there are things you can start doing straight away.

50. First of all, get a good rest. We live in a hectic world where life might seem to spin out of control. Make sure you have the time to rest
50. Take care of yourself and exercise on a regular basis. Avoid doing it right before you go to bed as the adrenaline flowing in your veins, will not let you fall asleep
50. Limiting alcohol consumption is a great way to help snoring as too much alcohol interferes with sleep. One drink per day for women and two drinks for men should be the daily maximum
50. Try to develop a routine where you slowly get ready for bed: a warm bath, dimming the lights, a herbal tea – all these are good to slow you down and help you get a better rest

The link between snoring and heart disease

To understand ‘How snoring is related to heart disease?’ or ‘How does snoring affect your heart?’ one must recall the essentials of human physiology. Nose and mouth are the doors to oxygen. We breathe in air which flows to the lungs; oxygen is absorbed into the blood and transmitted all over the body.

Snoring appears at the start of a respiratory cycle, in the upper airways, causing damage to the rest of the phases. Why is snoring bad for your heart? Because when the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen, it makes your vessels more narrow to increase blood flow and get more oxygen. As a result, the pressure on vessels grows too. Such pressure fluctuations can cause chronic hypertension or even heart attack.

Talk with your doctor about your risk of having a sleep disorder. This is very important if you already have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.

If your doctor thinks that you have a sleep disorder, he or she may suggest that you take a sleep study. This is called a polysomnogram. It charts your brain waves, heart beat, and breathing as you sleep. It also records your eye and leg movements as well as muscle tension.

Your doctor is then given the results of the study. It is important to remember that sleep disorders are common and treatable. Treating your sleep disorder can help you have a healthier heart.

Refrence

1. Ralph A Pascualy. (2008). Snoring & Sleep Apnea Paperback. England: Demos Health.
2. Tess Graham. (2014). Relief from Snoring and Sleep Apnea: A step-by-step guide to restful sleep and better health through changing the way you breathe. England: Demos Health.